The prior art is replete with different techniques and processes for fabricating semiconductor devices such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect (MOSFET) transistors. In accordance with typical fabrication techniques, a MOS transistor is formed by creating a device structure on a semiconductor substrate, where the device structure includes a gate stack formed on a layer of semiconductor material, and source and drain regions formed in the semiconductor material to define a channel region under the gate stack. In addition, embedded strain elements (i.e., doped or undoped semiconductor material that imparts longitudinal stress on the channel region) can be used to improve the performance of MOS transistors.
In accordance with one proposed technique, epitaxial semiconductor material is overfilled to an extended height above the upper surface of the semiconductor material to enhance the stress-inducing benefits of the epitaxial semiconductor material. The geometry and extended height of the epitaxial semiconductor material may introduce challenges related to tilted ion implantation of the semiconductor material underlying the gate structures (e.g., halo and/or extension implants). For example, it may be necessary to perform tilted ion implantation before the creation of the epitaxial semiconductor regions.